ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: leaves · stand · bark · perch · bowl · race · pound · stick

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. perch — the fish
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stand — to bear
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. race — a contest
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. race — the arms race
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. race — humankind
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. bark — to shout
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. pound — a weight
  24. leaves — lets stay

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com